Toyota Motor Europe and partners launched an open call Thursday for the second cohort of the Toyota Open Labs innovation platform. The initiative aims to connect startups with business units across the Toyota group and support their ambitions to scale up and contribute to a sustainable future.

This second program will empower startups looking to scale their innovative solutions and contribute to a sustainable future. Selected companies will work with key Toyota business units on six strategic categories:

• EV (Electric Vehicle) Energy Ecosystem: Technologies and systems to facilitate energy transition, including grid balancing, energy management, smart charging, and vehicle-to-grid energy transfers.

• Hydrogen Ecosystem: Solutions supporting the development of a hydrogen economy.

• Carbon Capture and Reduction: Technologies to help reduce carbon emissions.

• Circular Economy: Systems for recovery, recycling and reuse of vehicles and components.

• Smart Communities: Solutions supporting vehicle sharing, subscriptions and mobility hubs.

• Mobility for All: Solutions to overcome mobility barriers and address ageing society needs.

Cross cutting each of these categories are critical themes that will amplify our efforts in these areas including AI, education and inclusivity.

Toyota Open Labs partners include Toyota Tsusho Europe, the trading and supply-chain arm of the Toyota group, KINTO Europe, the Toyota group’s mobility brand, Woven Capital, Toyota’s growth-stage venture fund, and Toyota Mobility Foundation, a non-profit foundation by Toyota.

Participants will develop a Proof of Concepts, explore market routes and partner with the Toyota ecosystem. Each will receive development support and a chance to showcase their technology at the 2025 Demo Day.

Toyota Motor Europe oversees wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota, GR (Gazoo Racing) and Lexus vehicles in Europe. The company employs over 27,000 people and has invested more than €10 billion in Europe since 1990. Toyota Open Labs is an open innovation platform that unites startups with business units across the Toyota ecosystem to scale innovation and lead the market into the next phase of mobility. The program aims to power Toyota’s transformation to a mobility company by deepening its expertise across energy, the circular economy, carbon-neutral technologies, smart communities and mobility for all initiatives.